|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Brits' 3D Award
On 27 January Chris Lynch and Rob Silver who coach at the Freefly Training Centre and Thomas Hughes of Sebastian XL, qualified for the USPA's 3D Award at Skydive Sebastian.
To qualify, they completed formations including three maneuvres in each of these three orientations: Head-down 3-way flower, followed by a star, then opposite hand flower. Next in the sitting position, right/left vertical stairstep, followed by two rotations, (so each jumper takes top, middle and bottom) for one of the three points. Concluding in the horizontal orientation with a compressed accordian, individual 180 degree turns to a second compressed accordian, finishing with a star.
The award was the idea of Roger Nelson, USPA Director and owner of Skydive Chicago, designed with the safety angle that as the dive progresses you have better awareness of the ground. "We believe this to be the first all-British group to achieve the award." said Chris, "It would be great to have something like this in the UK, continuing on from FF2 to the FF3D, but be warned, it aint easy."
chris lynch
chrislynchxl@compuserve.com
TOP
Photo by Dave Brown
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
Albena Black Sea Boogie 20-26 May 2002
This is the first International Boogie in Albena, Bulgaria at a new dropzone, the former military airbase of Baltchik, 15 minutes away from the Albena resort. The package includes accommodation, transfers, ten free jumps on an Antonov 26 or Illyusin 18 and a Let410, a t-shirt and of course, a party.
info@freetop.be
TOP |
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
 |
|
Flyboyz go to Hollywood
The Californian freefly team, Flyboyz have been hired to do the opening scene of the new Austin Powers movie. Fritz Pfnür is doing the camera work and Eli Thompson is going to be the stunt double for Austin Powers. Charles Bryan and Jon Devore were also involved in the project.
flyboyz@flyboyz.com
www.flyboyz.com
TOP |
|
|
Fritz Pfnur, Tim Gramley, Eli Thompson, Kerry Farrington, Stan Gray
Photo by Craig O'Brien |
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
Weston Reopens on Good Friday
Weston will now open for the 2002 season on Good Friday, 29 March, and not on Sat 2 March as originally advertised.
Tel: +44 (0)1869 343343
TOP |
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
 |
Quicksilva Update
Quiksilva have been working hard and are going to train with the Golden Knights in the US for a week in the wind tunnel and two weeks jumping. They will be entering this year's Nationals and are going to the World Cup at the end of the year. PD are continuing their sponsorship with the team.
Alastair Macartney
alastair@macartney.co.uk
www.quicksilva.com
TOP |
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
News from The Ranch
The Ranch Parachute Club (also known as the Blue Sky Ranch) is in Gardiner, New York. They are undergoing some improvements for the new season including new video debriefing rooms and the packing area. They claim to have the cheapest jump rates in the US and will be running the Generation Freefly School this year with Max Cohn, John Skinner and Ace Buhr.
www.ranchskydive.com
TOP |
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
New BPA Intermediate/Junior FS Dive Pool 2002
Blocks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19, 21
Randoms A, B, C, E, F, G, J, K, N, O, P, Q
TOP |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
|
Airspeed Digital Debriefs
Airspeed have recently been testing the direct digital video preparation and debrief system at their tunnel camps, allowing them to record each camper's flight sessions to disk and to play them back instantly at another location. This saves lots of time each day and makes debriefs more effective.
The test was really successful and Airspeed intend to deploy the full system by camps 21 and 22 in March.
TOP |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
|
Britain's Golden Gliding
The British Gliding Association has just announced that in 2001 British pilots won five out of the eight gold medals awarded during the World Championship contests, events of a similar nature to Olympic sailing regattas.
Britain also won three silver medals, the most recent in a fierce contest against an officially sponsored French team in the World Standard Class Championships in South Africa.
"A superb result", said Peter Hearne, Vice President of the Association, "it really is the best news to end a year that has been difficult for everyone in aviation."
bga@gliding.co.uk
TOP |
|
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
|
Total Giveaways
Win a FREE Pro-Track freefall computer!
Tell Total Control in 25 words or less why they are the best place to purchase your skydiving equipment. Applications close on 28/2/02. You can submit your entry by mail, fax or email. You can also post your entry at their guest book
FREE skydive A3 poster!
Be one of the first 50 people to send Total Control an email with your name and postal address and you'll be sent a free poster.
www.totalcontrol.com.au
PO Box 6525, East Perth 6892, WA, Australia
Tel +61 8 93 256 001
TOP |
|
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The event will build up from Thursday 5 September.
Contact: Lesley Gale
lesley@skydivemag.com
TOP |
|
Photo by Adrian Nicholas
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
More Vids... |
|
Babylon Freefly Basics I
A new ten minute film and note booklet by Babylon Freefly, intended as a briefing tool and gives safety advice and flying instruction. It’s aimed at total beginners to intermediates but could be interesting to all freeflyers.
Cost: 24 Euros
Stuart Meacock, Sibson
+44 (0)1832 280 490
www.babylon-freefly.com
Boogie Dayz
A New Tribe Entertainment film produced by Steve Utter. A good introduction to boogies which features cool big-ways, funky freefly and interesting interviews.
Cost: US$36 (inc shipping)
Steve Utter: freeflysteveo@yahoo.com
+1 561 924 5546
TOP |
|
|
Body Pilot in Command
This 52 minute, artistic video about skydiving stability is made by Tamara Koyn and Vladimir Milosavljevic. It includes legendary footage of Patrick de Gayardon and Rob Harris flying together, jumps of Patrick Passe in Thailand, Brian Germain over Quincy and Tamara’s freestyle.
Cost: $30 US
+31 0550323 1928
www.parachutecase.nl
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
 |
Deaf
World
Record
|
|
Alan Thompson, UK
Mitsuhiro Masuda, Japan
John Woo, China
Charl de Villiers, S Africa
Mike Sweet, Germany
Billy Vance, USA
Marc Rubin, USA
Jane Chapman, USA
David Armstrong, USA
Mike Boland, USA
Fred Goebel, USA
Lesley Weisbrot, USA
Mike Haines, USA
Mitch Phillips, USA
Photo by Mike Zban |
|
|
On 1 September a deaf world record was set at Skydive San Marcos, Texas, beating the 7-way record in Australia in the 90s. The team managed a 12-way then beat that with a 14-way from 11,500ft which was complete by 8,000ft! Thanks to all the organisers, sponsors and participants for all your support.
Alan Thompson
alan@thompsonsky.fsnet.co.uk
TOP |
|
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
Over 40’s Record
If you’re over forty but the thought of POPS makes you cringe, you’re just the bod Paul French wants to hear from. Paul and POPS are running two big-way weekends at Langar to smash the POPS formation record way above the current (sad!) fourteen. We want POPS-eligible people from all over the country will pitch up at Langar on 6-7 April and 31 August to1 September for fun loads building up to record attempts. The BBC has expressed an interest.
Load organisers, cameramen and video debriefing will be supplied by Langar. POPS-eligible leading jumpers will be on hand to critique, provide suggestions and guide us on our way, as well as being a hard core base for the record attempt. There are lots of top Brit over 40s jumpers who’ve never been to a POPS meet, fair play to you, but why not come out of the woodwork just for these weekends to build something as big as we can? Contact Paul to register your interest. |
|
 |
|
Paul French
paulfrench1@compuserve.com
www.thepops.org
TOP |
|
________________________________________
|
|
|
FS Coaching Opportunity
If anyone is interested in FS coaching over Easter, there is a group of 6-10 going to Skydive Portugal on 27 March - 2 April, to do FS 1 training / B Certificate briefings. Contact Stuart Albon for details.
stuart@wsskydiving.freeserve.co.uk
TOP |
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
FS Dive Pool Changes
On 27 January, IPC’s annual meeting saw vehement all-round world-wide opposition to IPC’s suggestion that meets should have fewer rounds. The competitors’ choice won through and meets remain at ten rounds. There is now no limit on the number of jumps per day and the meet will be called after five days. The 4 and 8-way FS pools have been reduced from 24 blocks to 22, with the three point blocks gone in 8-way. Many of the changes are to reduce overlap of formations. The female 4-way event will continue. The changes to the dive pool are summarised below. |
|
8-way
OUT
Blocks:
2. Compressed Accordian –>
Compressed Accordian
7. Inout –> Bipole Donuts
17. Old Bone –> Amoeba
23. Bear –> Bear –> Bear
22. Diamond –> Bone –> Diamond
(now a two point block)
24. Jammy Donuts
Randoms:
O. Donut Cross
IN
Blocks:
2. Swiss Bear –> Swiss Bear
7. Bipole Donuts –> Bipole Donuts
17. Venus –> Venus
22, Old Bone –> Diamonds (2nd part of old block 22)
Random:
O. Compressed Accordian
“The new pool decreases memory in the 8-way event which was considered to be a problem by some; others say it’s one of the skills of 8-way. The changes will result in more 'repeater' dives where people stay in slot. The VNE proposal sent to IPC was very much against 'formation - 360 - formation'; however 3 out of the 4 new blocks are of this type. Though it’s a simpler pool, scores will probably decrease as the new blocks are designed to be slower. The pool’s a better option than IPC or the French were proposing but has lost a lot of the character and imagination that makes 8-way interesting. Anyway, anorak off, at least the meet has been kept at ten rounds, this was the main point of concern.”
Ian Matthews, VNE |
|
4-way
OUT
Blocks:
1. Snowflake –> Snowflake
5. Black Hole –> Bipole
16. Side Flake Donut –> Side Flake Opal
20. Open Stairstep –> Compressed Stairstep
Randoms:
F. Twins
H. Opal
IN
Blocks:
5. Opal - Opal
20. Piver - Viper
Randoms:
F. Open Accordian
H. Bow
“I’m happy with what they have decided. The new blocks look fun, especially Piver-Viper. We can't wait to try them! It's nice to have something new. I’m glad they’ve taken out the old block 20 (open stairstep - compressed stairstep) as it was very similar to 21 (zig-zag - marquis) and 23 (snowflake - offset). The new blocks offer a little more diversity. I’m also glad that they have decided to stick with the ten round meet which allows teams to be tested on many different permutations. When you invest loads in training, to just do 5 or 6 rounds (suggested by the IPC) would be an awful shame.”
Sparky, VMax
|
|
The revised rules and the new dive pool can be downloaded from:
www.fai.org/parachuting/fs
www.omniskore.com/divepool/IPC/about_downloading.htm
TOP |
|
|
________________________________________
|
|
Other IPC News
The Portugese Parachute Federation has withdrawn its bid to run World Cups in 2002. Potential organisers who would like to hold such an event should put bids in to IPC before 1 March.
Pal Bergan has now retired as Chairman of the FS subcommittee after “nine years pf challenging and interesting work” The new FS subcommittee chair is Fiona McEachern from Australia:
fiona@ezy.net.au
TOP |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|